The present invention generally relates to a retainer for connecting two members together and, more particularly, to a heat shield retainer for connecting a heat shield to a fuel tank.
It is known in the prior art to use fuel tanks made from polymeric materials, such as polyethylene, in motor vehicles. Such fuel tanks are advantageous because they resist corrosion and can be easily formed having various shapes and sizes, thus permitting flexibility in their design. Further, since polymeric fuel tanks are light weight, they make the vehicles in which they are employed more fuel efficient and economical to operate.
Heat shields have been in used in the past in combination with polymeric fuel tanks. The heat shields serve to reflect a harmful portion of the heat emitted from the exhaust system away from the fuel tanks. The heat shields are normally mounted to the fuel tanks a spaced distance therefrom by heat shield retainers. Air contained within the spaced distance between the heat shield and the fuel tank acts as an insulator for the fuel tank.
Heat shield retainers for mounting a heat shield to a polymeric fuel tank have, in the past, been welded onto the polymeric fuel tanks in order to be connected thereto. Welding heat shield retainers onto fuel tanks, however, has been found to be inefficient and tedious. This is because, in order to connect a heat shield retainer to a polymeric fuel tank, an operator must proceed through a time consuming welding process.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved heat shield retainer whereby a simplified method may be employed for connecting the same to a plastic fuel tank.